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THE
SUMMARY BACKGROUND OF RAKHAING NATION
AND
ARAKAN LIBERATION PARTY (ALP)
I. Who is Rakhaing (Arakanese) & where is Rakhaing Nation (Arakan)?
The word 'Rakhaing' is derived from the Pali word 'Rakha or
Rakkhita' that means 'Conservation'. That's why, the
Rakhaing denotes the name of the society of the people who
preserve and protect their own race, religion, norms and
culture.
Rakhaing
Nation (Arakan) is situated - Burma in the east, Chin Hill
in the northeast, India in the north, Bangladesh in the
northwest, and Bay of Bengal in the west & south. A long
range of Rakhaing Roma is lying as a barrier between
Rakhaingpray (Rakhaing Nation) & Burma. Total area of
Rakhaingpray (Arakan) is about 47,900 square kilometers and
total population is nearly 5 millions. As most people know,
Rakhaing Nation was not a part of Burma but was an
independent kingdom which had sovereignty until 1784 AD and
was one of the most prosperous countries of south east Asia
in 6th & 17th century and then was very flourishing and
famous in trade & commercial link with various nations
around the world as well. According to the Rakhaing
chronicles records, total of over 250 kings of Rakhaing
dynasty and ruled Rakhaingpray for long time of over 5000
years. This history of Rakhaings has to go back to 3000 BC.
King Marayu was the first Dhanyawaddy, the first city & the
first dynasty of Rakhaing Nation (Arakan).
The
long dynasties of Rakhaing Kingdom are as follow:
1.
1st Dhanyawaddy dynasty (BC 3325-1507)
2. 2nd Dhanyawaddy dynasty (BC 1507-580)
3. 3rd Dhanyawaddy dynasty (BC 580- AD 326)
4. Vesali dynasty (AD 327-818)
5. Laymro dynasty (AD 818-1404)
6. Mrauk-U dynasty (AD 1430-1784)
The
period of Mrauk-U was famously known as the Golden Mrauk-U
of Rakhiang Kingdom.This Kingdom, which is now a mere
province in the so-called Union of Burma, has been under the
Burmese imperialist oppression since 31st December 1784 when
Burmese king Bodawphaya invaded and occupied the
Rakhaingpray. After 40 years of Burmese rule, the British
(East India Company) started to annex Burma in 1824. In
February 1826, Burmese handed over Rakhaingpray (Arakan) to
the British by the treaty of Randabo. Since the falling off
Mrauk-U dynasty in December 1784, the sovereign power of
Rakhaing Nation is degraded into the yoke of colony and
slavery of aliens as below:
From
AD 1784-1824 Burmese colony
AD 1826-1942 British colony
AD 1942-1945 Japanese colony
AD 1945-1948 British colony
AD 1948-till today remaining Burmese colony
In
more than two hundred years of slavery, our literature,
culture, norms, tradition, heritage and invaluable Royal
records and documents were lost and disappeared day by day
especially under Burmese colonial rule.
II.
Emergence of the Arakan Liberation Party
In
December 1784, Burmese worries illegally annexed the
Rakhaing Kingdom and they destroyed huge culture heritage
and wealth, since then, the Rakhaing Kingdom became a
protectorate under Burmese colonialists. Later, the lives of
Rakhaing people have deteriorated day by day because of
Burmese imperialist oppression. Nevertheless, the firm
imprint of the past history of the glorious Rakhaing Kingdom
still remains in their mind. The Rakhaing people have
serious aspirations to restore their own sovereignty that
even lost for over the past 20 decades. This aspiration can
never be removed from the heart of Rakhaing nationals.
Inspired with patriotism, generation by generation, Rakhaing
people are continuously struggling against the Burmese
imperialists for the liberation of Rakhaing Nation and
nationals form the yoke of colonial slavery. Due to brutal
oppression by the Burmese successive imperialist rulers,
Rakhaing nationals are still uneducated, poor and
undeveloped despite long duration of the Rakhaing revolution
of resistance to the Burmese colonialists since 1784.
However, the inborn spiritual power of Rakhaing people has
not been effaced. This power inspired the emergence of
Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) that was successfully
established at Hlaing Township in Rangoon. A 15-members
Central Committee of the ALP was unanimously made up of an
active group of Rakhaing patriot youths. And Mr. Khaing Pray
Thein was the first president of ALP.
III. The first Movement of ALP
ALP
first obtained an agreement of assistance from the Karen
National Union (KNU) to form the Arakan Liberation Army
(ALA), an armed-wing of ALP. Then on 26th November 1968
while ALP personnel were trying to do organizing people,
recruiting manpower and collecting arms & ammunitions, the
Burmese army arrested Mr. Khai Ray Khai, Central Committee
member of ALP along with 9 associates at Sittwe, the capital
of Arakan State in Burma for the first time.Later, on 20th
December 1968 Mr. Khaing Soe Naing, General Secretary of ALP
was arrested by the Burmese army at Rathedaung Township,
Rakhaing State in Burma. After those arrests, Mr. Khaing Moe
Lunn, asst. General Secretary and some other members of ALP
were also arrested in Rangoon. In point of fact, only Mr.
Khaing Pray Thein, president of ALP remained in the KNU
area. As a result, the party's organizing and political
activities were totally stopped. The imperialist enemy
oppressed and tortured the captives in various manners in
prison. Fortunately, although they were held in captivity
for years, they were eventually set free from prison.
IV.
The Second Formation of ALP
In
1971-72, the captives were respectively released from prison
under consideration of amnesty. As soon as he was discharged
from prison, Mr. Khaing Moe Lunn left for Komura to meet KNU
leaders in order to re-form ALP and ALA. In 1973-74, the ALP
and ALA headed by Mr. Khaing Moe Lunn could be re-formed by
the help of KNU president Mhan Ba San and General Mya. Mr.
Khaing Ba Kyaw was General Secretary of ALP at that time. In
spite of various hindrances and difficulties, within two
years, over 300 cadres of ALA
personnel were gathered and received the political and
military training. In June 1976, 120 strength of ALP column
steered by Mr. Khiang Moe Lunn, President of ALP and Chief
Commander of ALA, made a long march to the fatherland,
Rakhaingpray (Arakan Nation).After passing through
Thai-Burma border, Karen State, Karenni State, Shan State,
Kachin State and Sagaing Division inside Burma, the ALP
troops entered between Chin State of Burma and Manipur State
of India. In April and May 1977 they faced confrontation
with the Indo-Burmese armies and started gunfire with them
there. Throughout the long march in Chin state of Burma and
Manipur state of India, they had to open fire with the said
armies more than 20 heavy gun-battles.Due to more than 20
heavy gunfights, ALP troops were split up into small groups
and then over ten soldiers of ALA including President Khaing
Moe Lunn were killed, around fifty arrested, nearly forty
laid down their arms to Indian and Burmese armies, and over
twenty lost on the way during those heavy gun-battles
respectively. From the arrest and surrender of ALP soldiers,
over 30 were brutally shot death by the Burmese army without
any trial and 45 were court-martialed and charged with state
rebellion case under Article no.122 (1) and (2). Of them, 11
people were sentenced to death and the rest 43 to life
imprisonment. In this time also, all activities of the party
such as political, military and organizing etc: were
absolutely stopped again.
V.
The third Formation of ALP
In 1980, all ALP personnel were released from Mandalay jail
under consideration of amnesty. In 1981, ALP and ALA headed
by existing President Khai Ray Khai was re-formed in Komura
area where the KNU Special Regiment (101) stationed. ALP got
some assistance from the KNU. Now we (the ALP) are joining
hands in good co-operation with KNU, National Democratic
Front (NDF), Democratic Alliance of Burma (DAB) and National
Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB) and then actively
working in Arakan (Rakhiangpray) and along the borders such
as Thai-Burma, Indo-Arakan and Bangladesh-Arakan bordering
areas.
VI.
The so-called Union of Burma
On
4th January 1948, Burma became an independent state from the
British according to the unity of all nationalities and the
basic principles of the Panglong Agreement adopted by
General Aung San and nationalities' leaders. Although they
had agreed to build the genuine Federal Union that all
nationalities must have equal rights of their respective
nationals politically, the so-called Union of Burma was
constituted and state power has been monopolized by the
majority of Burmese ruling classes since independence. They
(Burmese rulers) always deny giving for national rights of
other nationalities and accepting for the Panglong Agreement
that was made on 12th February 1947. When Burma was occupied
by the Japanese, Rakhaing national leaders and entire
Rakhaing people organized armee-resistance to the Japanese
with sacrificing of numerous lives. When the British
reentered after the Japanese Fascist had been driven out,
the Rakhaing people joined hands with all
other nationalities in the struggle of independence. In this
struggle, Rakhaing never put their national interest only in
the front, but always worked for the liberation of entire
Burma. Nevertheless, under the so-called Union of Burma also
known as Myanmar, the Rakhaing people who carried the
heritage of an Independent Kingdom were not given even an
autonomous state. Due to those circumstances
above-mentioned, more then 50-years-long civil war, which
deteriorates the political stabilities and economic
development, has been going on. In 1962, General Ne Win
captured State Power in military coup and also his
descendant General Saw Maung seized again by that way in
1988. Yet, they couldn't implement their plans and only
political and economic crises are increasing day by day due
to the oppressive imperialists and military dictatorship.
VII. The stand of ALP
The
ALP believes that the current crisis in Burma will carry to
the Independence or Genuine Federal Union, which is the goal
of all nationalities. However, the Burmese military rulers
seem to retain control of the power so far.The ALP therefore
hopes that it will be no longer to restore democracy and
human rights in Burma if democracy-loving countries' forces
help us in every kinds of way.
The
Goal
To
regain sovereign power of Rakhaingpray (Arakan Nation) that
lost in 1784.
The
Aim & Objectives
To
establish an independent state of the Rakhaing Republic in
which must be guarantee for nation freedom & human
development of entire people living together within the
Fatherland (Rakhaingpray); and
To
build neo-life of entire people within the Fatherland in
which must be full democracy, unity, peace and development
without exploitation.
Arakan
Liberation Party (ALP)
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